17/IX.

Comrade Rykov!

In my view, it is necessary to

1) convene tomorrow the old Central Committee commission
Stalin
Trotsky (arrives today)
You

2) confirm the old contract 230;

3) repeal all of its amendments and "corrections";

4) give Zakso a severe dressing-down once more from the Central Committee commission.

Otherwise we shall have an utter scandal with Gorky's departure, and we shall be in the wrong, since once already the commission of Central Committee members has decided the question.

We cannot reverse the decision.

Lenin

* — to give a dressing-down, to rebuke. Ed.

Written 17 September 1921

Published for the first time from the manuscript